2 Chronicles 11:5

"And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. He built Bethlehem, and Elam, and Tekoa, and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adumllum, and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, and Zorah, and Aijalon and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities. And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and oil and wine. And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him."

These verses and through 2 Chronicles 11:17, below, are parallel to 1 Kings 12:25-33, where one will find most of our comments. These preparations which Rehoboam made against possible invasion of the greatly weakened southern Israel were a prophecy of the beleaguered nation's future history. A divided Israel would be unable to dominate the Mid-east as did David and Solomon.